With spring around the corner, about 60 million Americans prepare for hay fever, an allergic reaction to pollen or fungal spores. New data from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that hay fever sufferers may benefit from daily probiotic supplements.

Data from 425 people indicated that supplements containing Lactobacillus paracasei for five weeks were associated with significant improvements in the quality of life for individuals who were also taking an antihistamine for their symptoms, compared to taking an antihistamine alone.

While the probiotic didn’t affect nasal symptoms, ocular symptoms—which can include swelling of the eyes, redness, itching, excess tearing, and mucous discharge—consistently improved with the addition of a probiotic supplement.

“To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that a probiotic is effective in allergic rhinitis as an add-on therapy to the recommended medicinal treatment,” report researchers.